


Roosters and Hens

by miera



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-10
Updated: 2010-01-10
Packaged: 2017-10-06 02:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miera/pseuds/miera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sunday gossip, as the town gathers after church services and several little romances are aired in the open.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roosters and Hens

"It's a bit like watching roosters strutting around before the hens," Sam Carter observed quietly. Elizabeth held in a giggle.

Sunday afternoons were very quiet in town. A good portion of the citizens gathered at the café after the morning services to eat and socialize. Elizabeth wasn't sure how the practice had evolved originally, but it was customary for everyone to bring dishes to share, rather than burdening Miss Mal Doran unduly with so many customers at once.

Elizabeth was sitting with Sam, her father and Janet Fraiser. She and Sheriff Carter had been discussing some business for the next meeting of the town's council, but Jacob had now summoned poor Daniel to sit with him and talk.

This was partly out of sympathy with Daniel's hunted look every time he came near the café proprietor, and partly out of hunger. Vala would be so busy with her flirtations she would not finish cooking the parts of the meal she was expected to contribute and they would never be able to eat.

Unfortunately, Mr. Mitchell, who had just moved to Atlantis, was currently pestering Vala about something. Elizabeth sighed and reached for a roll, unable to contain her hunger any longer.

Janet, in response to Samantha's comment, raised her eyebrows. "Who are we watching now?"

Sam nodded discreetly towards one of the shaded tables. The town's seamstress, Miss Heightmeyer, was seated with Laura Cadman, who worked in Elizabeth's store. The two young women were good friends. Kate's house was also her workplace, a neat building next door to Elizabeth's mercantile. Dr. Beckett was at the table with them, looking fairly infatuated with Laura. Elizabeth was happy to see her young, pretty employee looking so flustered by Carson's attentions. Though at the same time, she hoped fervently that Carson was not one of those men who expected women to stop working after they married.

The other occupants of the table were what had caught their collective eye.

The town blacksmith and former major in the Union army, Marcus Lorne, was sitting on one side of Kate Heightmeyer, his usual place on Sundays. Ever since the striking blonde woman had arrived in town – and it had become known that she was unmarried – Marcus had been attempting to catch her interest. Marcus was a very good looking young man with a solid reputation for his work among the townspeople. He also had the reputation of being a bit of a flirt, having been the object of more than one female gaze over the years, at least until Kate had arrived.

Also sitting with Kate was one of the newest arrivals in Atlantis – a New England man named Paul Davis. He had only been there since late spring, having arrived from the east to work in the bank, which was owned by Robert Kinsey. Kinsey never deigned to appear on Sunday afternoons, after the last time he angered Vala and she had no compunction about unleashing her somewhat colorful vocabulary on him.

This Mr. Davis, unlike Kinsey, was by all accounts a decent man. He was friendly and polite to everyone. When Elizabeth and Daniel had been agitating about beginning a town library, he had offered to write to a friend back home who was a publisher to help them. He attempted as much as possible to help people understand the way the bank worked, keep them from making errors with their money, though Kinsey watched him like a hawk. Paul Davis showed every sign of wanting to be a respectable member of the community.

He also attended church every Sunday.

Mr. Lorne didn't attend church services, though he was hardly the only man in town who didn't. Jack O'Neill wouldn't be caught dead in the church.

All of which resulted in the current situation. Paul had been speaking to Kate at the end of the services, and thus been invited to eat with her and Laura. When Marcus appeared as usual after services but before dinner, the looks passing between the two men had nearly ignited the table. Kate said something to them both, which had them sitting uneasily across from one another at the table.

"They'll stare each other stone blind, if that keeps up," Janet observed with a grin.

"Good thing the doctor is there, then," Elizabeth said.

Sam sighed a little and Janet turned her attentions elsewhere. "What's the matter Sam? Can't the other lovely young blonde in town have her share of masculine attention? Or are you missing someone?"

Sam's glare was somewhat ruined by the flush of her cheeks. Jack was gone from town at the moment on business with his deputy. Otherwise he, like Lorne, would probably be present, and attempting to discreetly hover.

"I'm certain Dr. McKay is around someplace," Elizabeth said innocently.

The glare was turned on her, but there was a change to Sam's face. She smiled in a way that boded ill. "Speaking of roosters."

Elizabeth frowned in confusion, glancing around until she noticed two familiar figures walking up the street. One of the figures, tall and lean with dark hair under his hat, was in fact extremely familiar.

Janet clucked softly under her breath as both she and Sam started to laugh. Meanwhile, it was Elizabeth's turn to blush.


End file.
